Asphyxiation
by Plasma Snow
Summary: Based on the Whumptober prompt 'Asphyxiation'. October 19th, Asphyxiation. An AU to the episode of Race to The Edge 'Dire Straits'. Rather than being trapped in the diving bell after it hit the bottom of the ocean, Hiccup escapes through the window but is pierced by a shard of Death Song amber. The shard cannot be removed because it is keeping him from bleeding. Will he survive?


**October 19th-Asphyxiation**

Everything was going well as Hiccup attempted to free the Submirriper dragon. He had all four chains broken and was currently being raised to the surface of the water.

Then...for whatever reason unknown...Hiccup's own chain broke. He was sent to the ocean floor, the window made of Death Song amber shattering. Just as the water rushed in he felt something pierce his throat. He tried to scream but couldn't do to the water surrounding him.

Hiccup reached out for Toothless who pulled him out of the window and towards the surface. Hiccup was thrown onto the boat while Meatlug and Hookfang helped Toothless himself get on board. Astrid and Fishlegs were by their friend's side in seconds.

The teens around immediately noticed the shard of Death Song amber in Hiccup's throat. The boy was straining and gasping, trying to get air as his eyes were pinched tightly closed.

The wound was hardly bleeding, though that was likely because the shard of amber was the only thing keeping his artery from bleeding out. Fishlegs and Astrid were torn as the twins and Snotlout tended to Toothless who had a broken leg.

Did they remove the shard so Hiccup could breath but risk him bleeding to death? Or, did they leave the shard in to keep him alive, but risk Hiccup suffocating as he wasn't getting more than gasps of air in?

Astrid looked at Fishlegs with a look of despair. She then looked at the shard in Hiccup's neck, placed a finger in front of his mouth to make sure he was actually getting _some _air in, then turned to Fishlegs and nodded. Fishlegs nodded back, taking Hiccup's right hand in his and squeezing.

They would have to leave the shard in. If they tried to remove it and made the slightest mistake, Hiccup could either bleed out, die immediately because the end of the shard was bigger than they thought it was and pierced something, or could even be paralyzed.

The shard was almost triangle shaped, piercing the center of Hiccup's throat and his wind pipe. It was so deep and big that the sharp amber moved all the way to the right side of his neck where terrible bruising was taking place.

Astrid moved closer to Hiccup and told Snotlout and the twins to find some rope, a plank of wood, and wool from the ship. They were able to find the rope and wood easily, though had to tear a spare wool coat to get the material they needed.

Fishlegs and Astrid-both experienced in treating battle wounds thanks to the war they had been through as kids-got strait to work. Hiccup-still taking in tiny, almost silent gasps for air with tears coming out of his eyes at the severe pain the action caused as his wind pipe felt like it was being cut by razors-was held still by his arms. His air way wasn't completely blocked off, but there was _a _blockage which caused awful pain and a lack of proper oxygen. His face was paling and lips turning blue.

Fishlegs placed Hiccup's head on a wooden plank, and Astrid wrapped two Nadder spines with wool so she could place them on either side of Hiccup's head. Fishlegs lifted Hiccup's head slightly so he could tie everything together, then lay the boy's head back down. His upper half was then put on another thin board and his thin form was tied to it so his neck would hold completely still. The only things he could move were his fingers and legs.

"Just keep breathing Hiccup. We're going to get you to Gothi quickly." Snotlout helped Fishlegs get Hiccup's body lay over Hookfang's back who was the longest dragon and could easily keep him warm. Snotlout rode Toothless while keeping an eye on Hiccup to make sure the Monstrous Nightmare didn't let him fall. With how broad Hookfang's wings were this was very unlikely to happen.

It was hard for Toothless to fly with the splint around his broken front right leg, but he couldn't worry about the pain. They had to get Hiccup help or the boy would die of suffocation.

Astrid looked to Hiccup who's chest wasn't even rising and falling with how little air was getting into his lungs. He had stopped crying and his lips were a pale blue color. His face was white as yak milk and his eyes were closed tightly. Sweat covered his face and his fingers were curled as if he was trying to make a fist but was too weak to do so. The only reason Astrid knew he wasn't unconscious or dead was because of the way his eyelids would twitch when he'd feel sudden spurts of even worse pain.

It took a good half hour before Berk came back into view. Astrid sent Fishlegs and the twins to go get Stoick. Her and Snotlout took Hiccup strait to Gothi's hut as Snotlout was the one flying Toothless

Gothi got right to work. She made Astrid and Snotlout hold Hiccup down as she cut the shard free. Hiccup didn't even scream as this was done because he couldn't breath enough to do so. He did fight though, and tears escaped his eyes as he found himself too weak to care about crying in front of his friends.

Gothi used an odd tool to clamp the artery as she went to work reaching into the wound and examining the wind pipe. She used an odd herb to cover the edge of it, though despite it being pierced she didn't seem to think it was broken or dangerous to leave alone. Hiccup cried harder in both pain and relief when the shard was removed and he could breath again because the pressure was no longer blocking his air way.

Stoick entered the hut just as Gothi was stitching Hiccup's wound closed layer by layer after removing the tool from the artery. She told him with the help of Fishlegs translating that Hiccup was likely to have brain damage or a blood clot do to how long the artery and his air way was cut off. She had saved him from an immediate death, but the bruising, dark stitches, and paleness of the boy it was obvious Hiccup wasn't even close to escaping the darkness.

Toothless walked over and nudged Hiccup, cooing with sad eyes. Stoick had to step into the back to compose himself. Fishlegs clenched his fists angrily and left to be on his own. Snotlout and the twins looked sadly at each other before leaving the hut. Astrid waited for everyone other than Gothi to be out of the room before she herself let a few of her own tears fall.

What surprised her was when Hiccup's eyes fluttered open and he smiled warmly at her, bringing one shaky hand up to her cheek. He obviously couldn't speak, and Gothi seemed to look surprised at how fast he was gaining his strength back. Do to his restraints Hiccup couldn't move his neck either.

Somehow, the way he looked at her and the comfort of his cold hand on her skin...the look in his eyes...

Astrid and Toothless knew their best friend would be okay.

He was Hiccup after all.


End file.
